MYSORE: Describing the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal as "unscientific and irrational," the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) and the Bhoomi Thayi Horata Samiti (BTHS) urged the State Government to pressure the Centre not to notify the award in the Gazette.

"The Government should announce the categorical rejection of the verdict," they said.

Addressing presspersons here on Tuesday, leaders of both outfits such as State secretary of KRRS Badagalapura Nagendra, Belagola Subrahmanya of BTHS and district president of KRRS Hoskote Basavaraj urged the Union Ministers and members of Parliament from Karnataka to resign forthwith.

They said that any failure on part of the elected representatives in doing so would force farmers to stage demonstrations in front of their residences.

"It is a shocking and unfair verdict, which is detrimental to farmers in the Cauvery basin. The Government should take immediate steps to protect the interests of State's farmers," Mr. Nagendra said.

Taking exception to suggestions on filing a review petition before the tribunal, he noted that such a step would not help in solving the problem, and what was needed was to stop the Centre from notifying the award in the Gazette.

The tribunal had not taken the "ground realities" into consideration before pronouncing its verdict. Despite Karnataka's plea to consider the 25 tmcft of water yield between Biligundlu and Mettur reservoir in Tamil Nadu, the tribunal had not done that.

The final award had not considered the groundwater availability in Tamil Nadu, and most importantly the tribunal had failed in providing a convincing solution during distress times.

The tribunal had not made any observation on the crop pattern, and this would help Tamil Nadu which was cultivating long-term crop, which needed more water.

While need of the State farmers was 360 tmcft, the tribunal had allocated only 270 tmcft, he added. Under no circumstances, farmers of the State would accept the verdict, as that would have a disastrous effect on them. Farmers' organisations had decided to protest the verdict in a peaceful manner, he said.

Mr. Nagendra said the issue concerned not only farmers, but also the people of the State.

In view of the planned State bandh on Thursday, it had been decided to postpone the rally on February 8 to protest against the alleged "forceful" acquisition of land by Mysore Urban Development Authority and Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board for industrial development and forming housing colonies, Mr. Nagendra said.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail